Friday, August 27, 2010

DTN News: Blackseafor Warships Complete Active Stage Of Drills

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - August 27, 2010: Warships from the Black Sea Naval Group, the Blackseafor, on Thursday completed the active stage of three-week drills, the Russian Black Sea Fleet press service said.The drills included tactical maneuvering by surface warships, air defense and communication, helping vessels in distress, vessel isolation, and inspection at sea, spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said.The main focus of the drills has been on maintaining stability and peace in the region, promoting cooperation, and strengthening mutual understanding among the Black Sea countries.The Russian Navy was represented during the so-called Blackseafor Activation, which started on August 11, by the RFS Yamal large amphibious landing ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which is now on its way to the Bulgarian port of Varna, where the exercise results will be summed up.The previous Activation took place on April 9-27, with more than 50 drills conducted across an area of 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).The Blackseafor was formally established in 2001 on Turkey's initiative and comprises Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Georgia and Russia. It conducts search and rescue operations and environmental monitoring, and organizes goodwill visits to Black Sea countries.